Door-closing apparatus.



W. DUGGAN, Jn. DOOR CLOSING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATIOI FILED sum. 11, 1009'.

Patented Aug. 22,1911.

IIIIII-II II/I/ COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPH cm. WASHINGTON. u, c,

WILLIAM DUGGAN, JR.,

DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

DOOR-CLOSING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 11, 190B.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911. Serial No. 517,188.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DUGGAN, J12, subject of Great Britain, residing at Dune-j din, New Zealand, have invented new and; useful Improvements in Door-Closing Appa-; ratus, of which'the following is a SpGClfb; cation.

This invention relates to apparatus for closing doors, and consists in a door-closing apparatus combined with a hinge, which can be readily fitted to existing doors, and which will automatically close the door after it has been opened, and comprises means for holding the door open when required. The inventioi'i is also applicable to gates.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention Figure 1 is a side view of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on a larger scale illustrating the arrangement of the door-closer springs. Figs. & and 5 are detail views illustrating the arrangement of the screw for lifting the latch. I provide in addition to, or in place of one of, the ordinary hinges, a hinge consisting of the 'usual two leaves (1) (2) adapted to be secured in the usual manner by screws one (1) to the inner edge (3) of the door (4;) and the other (2) to the hinge post (5). Holes (11) (12) are formed in the leaves (1) (2) respectively behind which holes (11) (12) extend rearwardly casings (6) (7) respectively preferably formed integral with the leaves, one casing (6) being fitted in a recess made in the thickness of the door (4L) and the other (7) in a recess made in the hinge post (5). The rear end of each casing (6) (7) is provided with a cap (8) which has a central hole (9) therein (see Fig. 4) throu h which projects the outer end of a threaded pin (13) the inner end of which is secured to a washer (14 A nut (15) screwed on the pin (13) outside the cap (8) holds the washer 1 1) in position. The casings (6) (7) contain a coiled spring (16 one end of which is secured to the was er (14) at the rear end of the casing (6) while its other end is similarly secured at the rear end of the casing This spring (16) passes through the holes (11) (12) 1n the leaves (1) (2) respectively, these holes beingmade somewhat lar .er indiameter than the spring (16) to alow a little play to the latter when it assumes a curved shape on the door being opened. The tension of the spring (16) may be adjusted as desired by means of the nuts (15). A second coiled sprin (17) of smaller diameter than the spring 16) is placed loosely within the latter, the spring (17) being for the purpose of creating additional tension when the door is opened. 4

To enable the door to be secured in an open position when required, a curved latch (18) is provided the rear end of which (40) passes through a slot in the leaf (1) and is pivoted in a lug (19) formed on the baclr edge thereof by a pivot pin (41). The under surface of this latch (18) is formed with a series of steps (20) therein, and a vertical slot (21) is formed in the other leaf (2) through which the forward end of the latch (18) projects. This slot (21.) is sufiiciently large to take the widest part of the latch 18) and a recess is made in the hinge post- (5) behind the slot (21) to take the latch (18) when the door is closed. On the back of the leaf (1) is formed a lug (22) forming a bearing for a screw (23) with a button head (24) which projects within the room from the inner face of the door (4). This screw (23) has a tapered end (25) which is adapted to enter below the rear end of the latch (18) between the pivot (41) and the leaf (1) (see Figs. 5 and 6). By screwing in the screw (23) by turning the head (24) the point (25) is pushed in under the rear end (40) of the latch (18) and causes the latter to rise according to the extent the screw (23) is screwed in. The latch (18) is pivoted so that when the screw (23) is retracted the latch 18) hangs down in the position shown in Fig. 1, and when the door is opened the outermost shoulder or step (20) will engage the lower edge of the slot (21) and hold the door open at rightangles, the necessarily limited length of the latch (18) making this the widest open position that can be conveniently retained by means of the latch (18). By manipulation of the screw (23) the height of the latch (18) can be adjusted so as to cause any one of the shoulders or steps (20) to engage the bottom edge of the slot (21) and therebyhold the door open in a corresponding position.

In order to allow the door to close, or when it is desired that the door shall not remain open after being opened, the screw (23) is screwed in far enough to raise the latch (18) so high that its widest portion a will clear the bottom edge of the slot (21),

the latch (18) being then held out of operation. When the position of the door is such that it is inconvenient to get at the button (24:) to operate the screw (23), the door may be held open by means of a thin flat curved plate (26) which is pivoted at its upper end (27) on the leaf (1) and having a notch (28) in its under surface. This plate (26) normally hangs free from the top of the latch (18) but when the door has been opened the plate (26) can be pulled over the top of the latch (18) until the notch (28) comes against the edge of and depresses the latch (18) so that the outermost shoulder or step (20) thereon engages the slot 21) and holds the door open.

The arrow a indicates the direction of the movement of the door when closing and the arrow 1) indicates the direction of movement of the door when opening. It will be observed that the shoulders 20 face in the di rection indicated by the arrow a so that when the door closes, and the latch 20 is in a free or lower position, the first shoulder 20 will engage the leaf 2 immedi ately below the slot 21. Of course when the door is open in the direct-ion of arrow 6 the shoulders 20 will rise freely over the lower portion of the slot 21.

It will be seen that the apparatus can be readily fitted to existing doors, it being merely necessary to remove one of the ordinary hinges, and substitute my combined hinge and door closer, the necessary recesses being first made in the door and hinge post to receive the parts of the apparatus to be fitted therein.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is p 1. A door closing device comprising in combinatf'on, a leaf hinge having one leaf secured to a door post and the other leaf secured to the door to form one of the hinges therefor, a spring for closing the 'door, a latch mounted on one of the leaves, an engaging portion on the other leaf for receiving the latch, said latch having shouldered or' steppedportions for engaging said leaf elngaging portions to prevent closing'of the cor.

2. A door closing device crnprising in combination, a leaf hinge having one leaf secured to a door post andthe other leaf secured to the door to form one of the hinges therefor, a spring for-closing the door, a shouldered latch on on'eof'said leaves, an opening-in the other of said leaves for receiving said latch and providing a surface for engagement with the shouldered or stepped portions thereof, and means for malntaining said latch in an inoperative position.

3. A door closing device comprising in combination, a leaf hinge having one leaf secured to a door post and the other leaf secured to the door to form one of the hinges therefor, a spring for closing the door, a curved shouldered latch pivotally mounted on one leaf, the other leaf having an opening for receiving said latch and a surface for engagement with the shoulders thereof, and a longitudinally movable threaded device for maintaining said latch in an inoperative position.

4. A door closing device comprising in combination, a leaf hinge having one leaf secured to a door post and the other leaf secured to the door to form one of the hinges therefor, a spring to close the door, a latch on one leaf provided with portions engaging the other leaf to prevent closing door under the action of said spring, and independently operable devices on each side of one of said leaves fbr controlling said latch.

5. A door closing device comprising in combination, a leaf hinge having one leaf secured to the door post and the other leaf secured to the door to form one of the hinges therefor, resilient means normally acting to close the door, a latch member carried by one of said leaves and arranged for engagement with the other thereof to prevent closing of the door, a threaded member on one side of one of said leaves for controlling said latch, and a pivoted member on the other side of such sleeve for controlling said latch.

6. A door closing device comprising in combination, a leaf hinge having one leaf secured to 'a'door post and the other leaf secured to the door to form one of the hinges therefor, a spring for closing the door, and a latch device carried by said leaves and constructed to prevent the closing of the dpor or hold the door open at different ang v k In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM DUGGAN, Jenn.

Witnesses ANDREW JOHN PARK, JOHN RUTHERFORD PARK.

copiesof i' this tent maybeltbtained lfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D.,G. 

